Finally
by Melaly
Summary: It's finished! It's a simple RonHermione fanfic.. Seems like there are so many others out there.. I tried to make mine stand out.. I hope you like it!
1. 6:00 AM

It was 6:00am on a bright, early December morning.  
  
The snow on the ground looked as white as ever as Ron Weasley, a seventh year Gryffindor, stared out the icy window. He sighed and turned around to find his best friend, Harry Potter, also a seventh year, plopping down in one of the squashy armchairs by the fire.  
  
"Up a bit early aren't you, mate?" Ron asked him.  
  
"Couldn't sleep. You're up a bit early yourself. What's all that?" asked Harry, glancing at the table at which Ron had just sat, which was littered with balled up pieces of parchment.  
  
"Oh... nothing really. I was... er... writing a letter," answered Ron, hesitantly. "It's nothing," Ron said again.  
  
Harry gave him a quizzical look. He could tell Ron was trying to hide something from him. He knew Ron too well. Since when did Ron wake up early to write letters? This had to be something really important. But, Harry decided, if Ron didn't want to tell him what was going on, he wouldn't ask.  
  
"Listen, Harry. I really need to talk to you about something... important." Ron said, his face turning slightly red.  
  
"Sure. Anything. What's up?" asked Harry. "Well... promise you won't laugh or anything? This is just bloody hard to say... That's why I'm writing her a letter..." Ron looked very confused and distraught.  
  
"Her?" Harry asked, "You mean... "  
  
"Well, you know... I've been thinking about it for a long time and I feel like it's just the right time. You know, since it's our seventh year. It's time to finally do something... But somehow I know I'll screw it up, and she'll hate me... I don't want that to happen..."  
  
Ron's face was now very red, and he pulled a piece of parchment from the pocket of his robes, and handed it to Harry.  
  
Harry read it.  
  
He couldn't believe it. This was crazy, but yet, it seemed to just... fit.  
  
Ron and Hermione... together. 


	2. Don't Wait

Harry gave the letter back to Ron. He couldn't believe Ron was really going to do this. He knew Ron had liked Hermione as more than a friend since as long as he could remember. He never said anything about it, but the little things he did, you could just tell. When Hermione went to the Yule Ball in their fourth year with Victor Krum, Ron was furious.  
  
And when he discovered that she was still in touch with Krum, he had asked Harry, "What does she see in him?" It was completely obvious. Harry imagined how it would be if Ron and Hermione became a couple. He smiled at the thought. They were perfect together, the two of them. Always bickering. They were like the mirror image of Ron's parents.  
  
"What are you smiling about?" Ron asked, looking apprehensively at Harry, "What do you think of it? Should I change anything? What do you think she will say? How in the world am I going to give it to her? What in the world am I-"  
  
"Relax, Ron. All you have to do is relax. I think it's fine the way it is, no, you shouldn't change a thing, I think she will agree with you, I will help you find a way to give it to her, and I haven't a clue what in the world you are going to do." Harry laughed as he said it all. Ron was his best friend, and Hermione was his other best friend. This all had to be planned out perfectly.  
  
Ron pocketed his folded letter. It was now 7:00am, and everyone else would be starting to wake up. It was Saturday. He took out his wand and said "Evanesco!" and watched the balled up and crumpled pieces of parchment disappear. He had just sat down in the armchair next to Harry, when Hermione came down the stairs, and walked towards them.  
  
Ron went red.  
  
He bent over and pretended to tie his shoe while Hermione sat down beside him. When he sat back up, the redness in his face still lingered, and he didn't look at Hermione.  
  
"Good morning," said Hermione brightly. Ron noticed how pretty she looked today. She looked that way everyday. "Shall we go down to breakfast? How long have you two been awake?"  
  
"Actually, Hermione, Ron and I have to go back up to the dormitory... We, uh... forgot something," said Harry, and seeing Hermione open her mouth, about to tell them she would wait, added quickly, "We'll meet you down there, don't bother waiting."  
  
He beckoned Ron to follow him, and they made their way back up the spiral staircase, making sure Hermione left through the portrait hole. 


	3. The Plan

Back up in the dormitory, Ron was sitting on his four-poster bed with his face in his hands.  
  
His voice was muffled when he spoke. "I can't believe it. I must be the biggest git. This is too hard. Harry, what am I going to do? If I can't even look at her without going all... red and-"  
  
Harry knew exactly how he was feeling. "Don't worry, it's normal to be nervous. Remember how I was in our fifth year with Cho? I didn't have a clue what to do, and Hermione helped me out a bit. She'll understand if you don't do everything right, only because she knows you so well. "  
  
"That's just the problem," Ron said, "We're such good... friends. If something goes wrong, it could ruin all that. I can't let that happen. I'll never forgive myself if it does. She's too important to me."  
  
"That's why you have to think of a perfect plan. You need to think of somewhere she will never expect to find a letter from you, but it also has to be somewhere that she looks everyday, and defiantly a place where she will be the only one to find it," said Harry, thinking hard. "It has to be real good.."  
  
They sat thinking for a good 10 minutes, sometimes throwing ideas around, but Ron didn't like any of them. Harry was about to give up and suggest that they go down to breakfast to meet Hermione when Ron suddenly sat up, "I have an idea. But... wait. I can summon it, and... when she's not looking... Yeah! I think I have the perfect plan! Harry... you could come and distract her... yes.. it should work! Come here let me show you."  
  
Harry sat down beside and Ron started explaining what they had to do.  
  
----------------------  
  
When Harry and Ron finally got down to breakfast, Hermione was sitting at the table, munching on a piece of toast, and reading her Arithmancy book. "It took you long enough. What were you doing up there?" she said, glancing up from her book.  
  
"Nothing.... Why are you reading, Hermione? It's Saturday." Ron asked.  
  
Harry noticed that he must have convinced himself to act normal, because his face wasn't red as he spoke, but his voice was a bit shaky.  
  
"Well, I'm doing some Arithmancy N.E.W.T. practice exams, just to see how I'd do. I mean, if I don't what I'd do if I failed them. The class is hard enough itself, and what if they put something in them that we haven't learned, just to see if we knew, or maybe deliberately not taught us something to see if we were smart enough to figure it out on our own. Or maybe they'll-" She said worriedly. She looked frightened at just the thought.  
  
 "Don't worry. You'll do fine... you always do," Ron said, reassuringly, "Besides, the exams aren't until next June..."  
  
Hermione looked annoyed. "Yes, I know, but it's always good to have a head start. You know, you two should really start trying harder with your homework. I'm not going to be there to help in your exams for Divination, and I can't believe you didn't give that up because it's just a load of-"  
  
"Hermione, will you stop worrying? It's bad enough that we have to listen to the teachers telling us this, we don't need it from you," Ron retorted.  
  
They went at it for two whole minutes before Harry spoke, seeing Ron open his mouth to snap something back at Hermione. "Just drop it, Ron. So... what should we do today?"  
  
The rest on the weekend passed in a flash. They spent the hours on the grounds, having snowball fights, and up in the common room playing chess, and gobstones, while Hermione sat curled up watching them and reading her school books. 


	4. The Arithmancy Book

When Monday finally came, Ron was awake at 5:30 in the morning. He was so nervous. He knew what he had to do, that was easy, but actually doing it, and.... how she would react to it. That was different.  
  
"Harry, hey, Harry! Wake up, I need to talk to you," Ron said quietly as he shook Harry, so as not to wake Neville, Dean, or Seamus.  
  
"Wha.... What's wrong, Ron? Will you stop shaking me? I'm awake!" Ron had stopped shaking Harry, but his hands were trembling.   
  
"Sorry... I'm... a bit nervous," he breathed, "I wanted to make sure you knew what to do... today, I mean."  
  
"Of course I do. Don't worry about it. You'll be behind that staute of Boris the Bewildered the whole time, and I'll be watching and know exactly when to call her. It'll all work out." Harry said hurridley.  
  
At 8:00, Harry, Ron, and Hermione went down to breakfast. Harry noticed that Ron kept staring at Hermione with a blank look on his face, and, realizing what he was doing, shook his head sharply and turned down to stare at his plate again. Hermione of course, didn't notice a thing, as she was engaged in conversation with Ginny.  
  
"So then, I saw this big ginger fluff running up the grounds towards me, well sort of.. hoping towards me, because of the snow, and so I called out to him, just to see if he would come recognize my voice and come to me. You have to help cats that way, you know. They don't just know you. It's strange though..."  
  
At 8:30, they all left the Great Hall and started to head to their lessons. Hermione had Arithmancy, and Harry and Ron had Divination. They walked with her up the marble staircase, and She turned to leave with a small wave.  
  
Ron turned towards Harry, his face flushed, and gave a small nod. Ron took his position. He aimed his wand, and mouthed the charm. Hermione's bag spilt open, just as Cedric Diggory's had when Harry needed to tell him about the first task in their fourth year. It was perfect. Hermione bent over, and began picking up her books, and it was Harry's cue.  
  
"Hey! Hermione! Come here for a second, I forgot I needed to tell you something!"  
  
It had to be done quick. Just as Hermione turned her head in the other direction, Ron aimed his wand again and wispered, "Accio, book!" and Hermione's Arithmancy book came zooming towards him. He caught it, not expecting it to be so heavy, and let out a small "Ouof!"  
  
He had done it. Ron beamed as Hermione repaired her bag with her wand, looking flustered and annoyed, and finished shoving books back in. Ron loved her face when she was aggitated. She was... so... beautiful. She hadn't noticed one of her books was missing. She strode over to Harry.   
  
Ron reached his trembling hand inside his pocket for the folded piece of parchment, unfolded it, and read it over quick, just to make sure. He opened the book to the page Hermione had folded over to save the place, and put the letter inside, making sure it was perfectly laid. When he saw Hermione glide back towards the door of the Arithmancy classroom, he knew it was his chance. He dashed out from behind his statue.  
  
"Hey, Hermione, wait up a second!"  
  
"Ron? What are you doing? Why aren't you in class? Where did Harry go? He just talked to me, weren't you with him?"  
  
"I had to go back upstairs to the common room. I didn't see Harry at all," Ron lied. He knew it was going to work now. His heart was pumping fast. "Oh, yeah. When I was up there, I found your book. You must have left it. Here you go." He handed it to her, and smilied.  
  
"Thanks." She sighed. "My bag just split... But.... I could've sworn I packed my Arithmancy book this morning... hmm.." She looked confused. "Well, see you later, Ron!" She called, and hurried towards the door to her class for the third time.  
  
She had flashed him that smile. That warm, sweet smile he had seen so many times before. For seven years. He had seen that smile everyday for seven years. Why hadn't he said anything to her before now? Why? Because he was afraid. Afriad of losing what they had together. And here he was, yet again. Staring after her. Terrified. He couldn't go to class. There's no way he could concentrate. He would just have to wait. 


	5. Page 378

Hermione sat down in her seat in Arithmancy. The bell had just rung. She was dazed. Ron. She was thinking about him again. Ron, with is red hair. Ron, with his cute little ears that burned red when he was embarassed. Ron, running all the way down to find her and give her back her stupid Arithmancy book. She wiped her head blank. She didn't have time for silly boys. Silly boys? Ron was not a silly boy. He was her best... friend. Best friend. She could not keep thinking about him that way. But somewhere deep down, she realized that it was the only way she ever thought about him. She was in love with him.  
  
"Please turn to page 378 in your books.." said a voice from far away.  
  
She shook her head to clear it yet again. She opened her book to the page she had marked before. "Get studying! You want to pass your N.E.W.T.'s don't you?" she told herself.  
  
It was almost as if he had read her mind. Hermione stared down at the page she had opened to, and was looking not at her last week's Arithmancy homework, but at a note. A note from... No. It couldn't be. Was it really true? Was this why Ron had run to give her back her book? She slammed it shut.  
  
"Professor," Hermione had stood up. "I'm not feeling all that well..."  
  
-------------------------------------------------  
  
Hermione-  
  
I have wanted to tell you this for seven years. But I couldn't. I was too afraid. I don't want to loose you as a friend. We have too much together. I care about you too much. I love you. I am in love with you. You are with me everyday, but I couldn't feel farther away from you. When I see your face and look into your eyes, everything is just.. right in the world... it's perfect. I couldn't live with myself we lose what we have. I just had to tell you... somehow..  
  
-Ron  
  
She ran through the halls, searching. She knew him. He wouldn't have gone back to class after.. well, after he'd done this. She had run down every corridor, every staircase. It was hopeless. She walked over to a window and looked out on the grounds. The snow was falling as hard as ever. She breathed, and watched it fog the window. And then... she saw him. He was sitting on a bench near the Quiddich Pitch. She dashed down the stairs, and out through the oak front doors on to the shimmering, snow covered grounds. 


	6. Finally

[A/N: Thanks for the great reviews! I hope to finish up in the next.. two chapters or so! The last one will be relatively short.. This one is where everything happens! Oh, and one of the lines Hermione says (don't want to give anything away before you read it!) is a revised version of what Mary Jane says to Peter in the first Spiderman movie! Haha.. so if you've seen it, you'll know what I'm talking about.]  
  
Even though he was freezing, Ron didn't move. Where was he supposed to go? All he could do was to sit... He wanted her to come find him. He wished she would just come sit with him, and maybe they could talk. What would he say to her? He imagined her smile. He saw her beautiful brown eyes. He felt like she was there with him.  
  
"Hi, Ron..." said a voice.  
  
Was this really possible? Was she really there? Or was he just dreaming...  
  
He whipped around. She was standing there, behind him. She looked so pretty with snowflakes in her hair and flushed cheeks from the cold... he was sure he was dreaming. "Hi... aren't you supposed to be in class?" he asked her, trying to sound as normal as possible. His insides were screaming to get out.  
  
"Well, yes, but I said I was ill... are you all right?" said Hermione, as she cleaned the snow off the seat with her mittens and sat down next to Ron.  
  
"Yeah... I guess... just thinking..." He had no idea what to say to her. He couldn't just ask her if she'd read it, it would sound too stupid.  
  
"About...?" Hermione was looking at him. He looked so.... There were no words to describe it. She could just see in his eyes... They were so deep... Without him having to answer her question, she knew he was thinking about her, and she was glad. She wanted so much to tell him how she felt about him...  
  
"Just... stuff, I suppose... and you. I was thinking about you, Hermione..." he turned towards her and looked into her eyes. It was now or never, he thought. Just say something about it. "Hermione, you know what I'm feeling right now. It's hard to say... I'm just scared. I don't want to lose you. Ever..."  
  
She smiled up at him. It was her chance. "Ron, first, let me tell you that you will never lose me. I will always be here for you. Always. And second, I have to tell you that I have thought about you every day for as long as I can remember. Even when we weren't together, I'd think about you, and I'd wish you were there with me. You make me feel like... like I'm better than I ever thought I could be, and that I am perfect just the way I am. I love you!  
  
And having said this, and seeing the look on his face, she placed her mitten covered hands softly on either side of his face and kissed him. She felt so happy! This was perfect. This was.... Amazing. She pulled away and she smiled at him, tears falling down her face.  
  
Ron's mind was blank. Did that really just happen? There's that smile again.. That warm, melting smile. I'm not really melting, whirling away, or being shaken awake by some stupid prat who wants to interrupt the best dream of my life, so it has to be real, he thought. She loves me! She really loves me! "Wha.. what's wrong.... Hermione, why are you crying?" He said, smiling back down at her.  
  
"I'm sorry..." she breathed, still smiling, "I'm just so happy. I can't believe this..."  
  
He wiped her tears away with a trembling hand, and then reached up and felt her soft hair, which was damp from the snow. He looked deep into her eyes and said, "I love you, Hermione."  
  
He kissed her again, longer this time. And they sat there, the two of them, talking and laughing for a while, holding hands on Ron's lap.  
  
"Do you think we should go up to dinner? It's really cold..." Hermione finally asked, shivering after at least a half-hour.  
  
Ron saw her teeth chattering, so he took off the hat his mother had knitted for him last Christmas, and pulled it down over Hermione's head. He noticed that even with his ugly maroon winter hat on, she still looked perfect. "Yeah, I think we'd better. We should find Harry, and.. tell him..."  
  
So they started to make their way up to the castle, still holding hands, and feeling happier than either of them ever had.  
  
[A/N: There's still more too come! I'm working on it!] 


	7. By the Fire

[A/N: I can now honestly say I am sorry if I ever got annoyed with J.K. Rowling because I couldn't wait for her next book. It's takes me so long to write this story, but I love it! Harry Potter is awesome! And so are Ron and Hermione! It's hard trying to make it sound natural, and non-stupid. So here it goes...]  
  
When they finally stepped through the oak front doors, a burst of warmth swept over them, reliving them of their shivers. Hermione didn't take off Ron's hat though. She liked wearing it. When he had put it on her, it was already warm from it being on his head, and it made her feel oddly safe and... secure. Funny, she thought, I've known Ron for the longest time but it feels like I've only just met him.  
  
"Do you think... Should we go wait upstairs? I'm not really that hungry anymore," said Ron, then added hurriedly, "But, if you are, we could-"  
  
"No, it's okay, I'm not either. Let's go." Hermione replied, starting up the stairs in the Entrance Hall and pulling gently on Ron's hand.  
  
They reached the portrait of the Fat Lady, and Ron, noticing she was asleep, cleared his throat and said, "Cornish Pixies."  
  
She gave a loud snore, and awoke with a jump. "What?! Oh... excuse me dears... Yes, pixies... very well then," she said, raising an eyebrow and glaring down at the two of them. She then swung open to let them pass, and they both climbed through, Ron stepping aside to let Hermione in first.  
  
"Thanks," she laughed. He's being so sweet, Hermione thought to herself as she made for the big armchair right next to the blazing fire and curled up in it. I'm completely in love! She felt dazed for the second time that day, but this time it was more of a happy, bubbly type of blankness, instead of a confused one.  
  
Ron plopped down right on the floor in front of the fire and rubbed his hands together. It was just starting to get dark outside. "What do you reckon the temperature is out there? Like.. 2 degrees?"  
  
He hadn't noticed his hands had been frozen the whole time he and Hermione had been together. She laughed and he turned to look at her. She looked so peaceful... He could see the bright yellow flames reflected in her eyes with her head resting on the arm of the chair. She still hadn't taken off the hat, but had reached up to pull it more snuggly on her head. She then glanced up and saw he was watching her.  
  
"What?" she asked, smiling. She felt a shiver run up her spine, but a good one. She felt warm and safe, and she never wanted it to change. Ron didn't answer. They just looked at each other for a while until Hermione finally spoke.  
  
"Ron, come sit here," she said, patting the bottom of the armchair with her hand. He moved toward her and leaned his head back on the seat so he could still see her. Their faces were so close. She smiled at him again and for the third time that day, Ron melted. He stretched his head up a few inches and kissed her gently.  
  
"Is it just me or do you feel like you're dreaming, too?" he asked her, quietly, almost whispering.  
  
She laughed softly, and answered him. "It's the best dream I've ever had." And just as they were about to kiss again, they heard a familiar voice speak from a dark corner of the room.  
  
[A/N: I lied. I'm writing another chapter. I'll get it up soon I promise! Sorry about the cliffhanger, but it's pretty obvious who's been spying on them... (coughharrycough) They're too cute, aren't they? Well, I'll go get started on the next chapter! Thanks again for the lovely reviews!] 


	8. Happy Endings

[A/N: The last chapter! It's a bit long... I'm not very good at endings. Well just to let you know, the line "positively howling" is revised from my favorite scene in GoF. Bottom of pg. 358 in the US hardcover version, to be exact. It cracks me up every time when Ron says, "Barking mad." I'm just the biggest dork. Ever. Now on with the story.]  
  
"Sorry to interrupt," said Harry, emerging creepily from a corner of the now completely dark common room, lit only by the fire. "But have either of you seen where my friends have gone? One is tall with red hair, and the other is shorter with oh...light brown hair, I suppose, and they would probably be having a mad, blazing row."  
  
Ron and Hermione froze. Harry slowly made his way to the fireside, now positively howling with laughter.  
  
"Harry... how... how long have you been... watching us?" Ron asked, his voice cracking and his face glowing red.  
  
"Long enough to see that you two have obviously talked things over... and snogged things over," he laughed, but stopped abruptly when he saw the glare Hermione shot him. "And I'm truly happy for you both. There couldn't be better people for either one of you."  
  
"Well, thanks very much, Harry, because you know something?" Ron asked him, with a mock look of interest, "You are a git."  
  
He grabbed a cushion from the seat next to Hermione's and chucked it at Harry, hitting him hard in the face.  
  
"Ow! Okay fine, I'll leave you two alone. I needed to talk to Ginny anyway," He said grinning at them, "But you'll want to watch yourselves, I left dinner early to come find you, and everyone else will be heading back soon..."And with a small wave, he left through the portrait hole.  
  
"You know, I should probably get started on that essay for McGonagall," Hermione said, straightening up in her chair, "Do you, um, need help with yours Ron?"  
  
She made her way to the table she had tossed her bag on when they came in, and sat down, pulling out parchment, quill, and ink.  
  
"Yeah... I should uh... get started too." He answered, his voice still shaking from what had just happened. But he couldn't work. His head was still clouded with all that had happened that day. His life would never be same.  
  
Hermione immediately began thinking aloud as she always did. Talking to herself and scribbling everything she said on her parchment. Ron watched her and thought to himself, his quill poised in his hand dripping useless ink on his yellowed parchment. How can she be so... mad, but perfect at the same time?  
  
He noticed her left hand lying on the desk, while her right was moving fast over her essay. He reached his own hand out and took hers, and reminded himself to tell Harry that he was right. Taking a girls hand when it was lying uselessly on a table was ten times harder than, snatching a zooming snitch out of thin air.  
  
She looked up and smiled, moving her own fingers into the spaces between his. She then frowned at his blank parchment, and quickly snapped back to her own work, deciding not to say anything. She was enjoying how sweet and kind he was being to her too much, and didn't want it to end in a hurry.  
  
They sat there for at least 15 minutes, Hermione working tirelessly, and Ron staring absentmindedly at her. The noise of the portrait hole opening, and people's voices seemed to snap both of their minds back to reality.  
  
Every single Gryffindor filed into the common room, some moving up to the dormitories, and some sitting down near the fire. But 2 of them made a beeline for Hermione and Ron.  
  
Harry stood there, smiling with his arms crossed, Ginny stood a little behind Harry, her mouth slightly open, staring at Ron and Hermione's hands, which were still connected on top of the table.  
  
"When did this happen?" she asked, finally regaining her composure and beaming confusedly at them.  
  
"What? Oh... um... today?" Hermione answered, her face turned slightly pink. "We talked it over... a bit."  
  
"A bit?" Ginny answered, "It looks like loads to me... Well Happy... uh... togetherness, you two. I'm going to bed. 'Night!" She waved and made her way up the girl's staircase.  
  
By the end of the week, it became common knowledge throughout the school that "something" was going on between "that Granger girl and Weasley."  
  
They walked through the corridors to classes holding hands, and when they had different classes, Ron would walk Hermione there, and give her a quick kiss before hurrying off so he wouldn't be late. They fought a lot less too, but when they did it was still about the same nonsense, and they would make up a lot faster.  
  
It seemed like they would be together for the rest of their lives. They balanced each other out perfectly, and they both always looked so happy. Ron started working harder in his lessons, and Hermione learned that you could still get perfect marks and have a bit of fun once in a while. Everyone knew it had to happen sometime, and the only suitable word to describe it would have to be...  
  
Finally. 


End file.
